


in this world, we're just beginning

by waywardprentiss



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, F/M, Fix-It, Love Confessions, M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27673331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywardprentiss/pseuds/waywardprentiss
Summary: Hope surges in Dean's chest as Jack closes his eyes again. Just like before, between one blink and the next, Castiel appears in the middle of the road between them.
Relationships: Castiel & Jack Kline, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Comments: 13
Kudos: 101





	in this world, we're just beginning

**Author's Note:**

> may i present the ending we, deancas and saileen deserved

Dean opens his eyes to a silent bedroom. He groans rolling over, hand outstretched on the mattress beside him.

He squints, confused at the empty space next to him before sitting up. Glancing around the room, Dean notices Miracle's leash is gone from where he had thrown it haphazardly on his desk last night.

He lays back down with a smile before closing his eyes and taking a minute to revel in the warm sheets for a minute longer. 

After a while, Dean throws back the covers and swings his legs over the side of the bed. He sits there a minute, rubbing his eyes. 

He drops his hand and his eyes land on his jacket in the corner of the room. It's laid over the back of the loveseat by his dresser where it's been ever since he finally got the courage to take it off. Dean looks at it for a moment, all the memories of that day flooding back.

He goes over and stops right in front of it before reaching out and brushing a hand over the dried blood that's still covering the shoulder. 

After a second, he shakes the thoughts away and reaches out to pick up his robe that's tossed over armrest on the opposite end. He slips it on before making his way out of the room toward the kitchen.

Sam is sitting at the table with his laptop and looks up as Dean makes his way into the room.

"Hey." He says before picking up the mug on the table in front of him and taking a sip. "Coffee's ready."

Dean grunts, giving him a thumbs up before making his way over to fix his own cup of coffee. Once he drains half the mug with one swallow, he sets it down on the counter.

"So," He says, looking over his shoulder at Sam before opening the fridge. "Eggs? Bacon?"

"Just eggs for me." Sam says, holding up a cup of yogurt Dean hadn't noticed he had. "But Eileen will want both."

Dean grins as he gets all the items out of the fridge and starts setting everything up. "I knew I liked that girl, Sammy."

He can tell Sam's rolling his eyes from across the room without even having to turn around.

As if on cue, Dean hears footsteps coming down the hall. He turns around after starting to fry up the bacon and sees Eileen coming down the steps. 

"Good morning." She says, smiling. Her eyes on Sam and he grins at her before she glances over at Dean.

She's wearing yoga pants and what is obviously one of Sam's plaids from the way it engulfs her small frame and Dean fumbles through signing "Good morning" back to her.

She nods, grinning at him before walking over to Sam and kissing his forehead.

They start to sign quickly to each other and Dean turns around to give them some privacy.

As he's starting on the eggs, she comes up next to him to get her own cup of coffee. "Oh, bacon!"

He grins, winking at her before she goes back over to sit next to Sam at the table.

Just as he's setting out the food on four separate plates, the sound of footsteps echo down the hall once more. This time accompanied by the click of Miracle's paws.

He sets the now empty frying pan down in the sink just as they appear in the doorway.

"Good morning." Castiel's voice is rough but the joy is obvious in his tone. The hoodie he's wearing is zipped only half way up and his hair is windswept. Miracle is wiggling so bad at his feet that the moment they come down the steps, he leans over and unhooks his leash.

Dean grins at the two of them as Castiel tucks the leash in his pocket. "Morning, sunshine."

Miracle's head perks up even more and hurries over to Dean at the sound of his voice.

He grins down at him before squatting down and giving Miracle a head rub. "Hey, boy. Did you have a good walk?"

Dean looks up to see Castiel smiling softly down at the two of them from the other side of the island. Miracle bumps his head against Dean's knee and he quickly pats his head again before standing up.

He hears Miracle walk over to greet Sam and Eileen but all he has eyes for is the man in front of him.

"Hey." He says, smiling as Castiel walks around the island to stand in front of him. Dean pulls him in with a hand on his side and kisses his cheek. "You want something to eat?"

Castiel smiles, before leaning forward again to catch his lips in a brief kiss. "I could eat some bacon."

"Damm right you could." He smirks, patting Castiel's hip. They share another soft smile before separating.

He carries their plates full of food over to the table as Castiel sets about putting Miracle's breakfast together.

Sam moves his laptop over as he takes his and Eileen plates from Dean's hands. 

Once Miracle is settled in the corner of the kitchen with food and water, Castiel makes his way over to settle in the seat beside him.

Castiel's hand causally lands on his shoulder as he passes behind him and it reminds Dean of that night in the storage room all those weeks ago.

He smiles to himself then as he remembers the moment they were reunited just a few days after that in the middle of a busy street.

-

"Alright kid. You really think you can pull this off?" Dean asks when the three of them get out of Baby and stand in the middle of the street in the still deserted town.

Jack just smiles at him before slowly closing his eyes.

He throws a glance at Sam and the two of them share a pleading look. In just a blink of an eye the town comes alive. People in restaurants, people coming in and out of stores and people riding bikes.

The three of them start walking down the main road. Dean is mesmerized and sees that Sam looks the same. Everyone around them is going on about their business like they were never gone at all. 

All of a sudden, the dog he found earlier comes running across the street at him. He barrels straight into Dean's legs and Dean can't help but let out of laugh. He bends down to pet his head. "Hey, boy. Guess you are a miracle, huh?"

All he does is pant in Dean's face and his grins widens. "Yeah. That's a good boy."

Dean looks around but no one seems to claim him or be looking for him. He looks back down at him. "What do you say, Miracle? Wanna come home with us?"

Miracle's bark rings loud in his ears and Dean looks up, grinning at Sam.

Sam shakes his head fondly, but eventually nods his approval.

With one final pet to his head, Dean stands back up as Jack turns around from looking out over the town. He has a very content look on his face.

"So," Sam says to Jack, his voice gone serious. "Does this mean you're the new- what do we call you?"

Dean huffs out a laugh. "Who cares what we call him? All that matters is that he got us back online."

Jack smiles sheepishly, looking down at his feet.

"What happened to Amara?" Sam asks. "When Chuck-."

"She's with me." Jack says before he can finish. "We're in harmony."

"You gonna come back with us to the Bunker?"

Dean throws Sam a confused look. "What do you mean? Of course he's gonna come back with us to the Bunker. He's the man with the plan! He's top dog now! He can do whatever he wants."

He turns around, walking back to the car with Miracle at his heels. "You know what we'll spruce the place up, get some recliners."

"We'll get you one of those big screen TVs." He turns back around with a grin, pointing at Jack.

"Dean. I'm not coming back home." Dean feels his face go blank as he continues, "In a way, I'm already there."

He furrows his brows. "Where?"

"Everywhere." Jack says simply.

"So you are him."

His eyes flick over to Sam at the realization in his brother's voice. Dean steps foward as Jack shrugs. "I'm me."

He smiles. "But I know what you mean."

"What if we want to see you?" Sam asks. "Or have a beer or whatever?"

"I'm around." Jack says, wonder in his voice. "I'll be in every drop of falling rain. Every speck of dust that the wind blows. In the sand and in the rocks and the sea."

Dean scoffs. "It's a hell of a time to bail. You got a lot of people counting on you. People with questions. They're gonna need answers."

"Those answers will be in each of them." Jack says, sounding wiser than his years. "Maybe not today but someday."

He looks around for a moment. "People don't need to pray to me or sacrifice to me. They just need to know that I'm already a part of them and to trust in that."

"I won't be hands on. Chuck put himself in the story and that was his mistake. But I learned from you and my mother and Castiel that when people have to be their best, they can be."

Dean looks down and blinks back tears at the mention of Castiel. He looks up sharply at Jack after a moment of silence. "Speaking of Cas, can you-?"

He cuts himself off, not trusting his voice and makes a motion with his hand.

"Of course." Jack smiles. "I wouldn't forget Castiel. I owe him so much. I owe you so much. This is the least I can do for you both."

Hope surges in Dean's chest as Jack closes his eyes again. Just like before, between one blink and the next, Castiel appears in the middle of the road between them.

He gasps, swaying on his feet and Dean rushes to his side.

"Hey, hey." Dean whispers, grabbing his elbows and steading him. "You're alright."

Castiel grips his bicep, eyes flickering around, unfocused before settling on him. "Dean?"

"Yeah." He grins, tears collecting in his eyes again. "It's me. You okay?"

"Yes?" Castiel says, confusion clouding his voice. He looks down, patting his chest with one hand. The other still has a vice grip on Dean's arm. 

He looks back up, his eyes landing on Dean, then Sam and then finally Jack. "How?"

A bit sheepishly, Jack replies, "I brought you back."

Castiel looks at Jack with a look of confused wonder, his lips curling up into a smile with lines appearing around his eyes.

Dean lets out a laugh, feeling a tear escape the corner of his eye. "Turns out your kid is God now."

His grip on Dean's arm tightens and he looks back at him with a look of such amazement, his breath catches in his throat.

Castiel turns his head back to Jack. "You defeated Chuck."

Jack smiles at his feet as Castiel continues, "I knew you could do it. I knew all of you could."

He looks back at Dean, face suddenly full of hesitation. "Dean-"

"What you said before, Cas-"

Castiel releases the grip on his bicep, his hand slowly sliding down Dean's arm. He shakes his head sadly. "Dean-"

"No," Dean interrupts softly "Let me say this."

"You said that it was something you couldn't have." He clears his throat. "But you were wrong."

Castiel eyes snap up to meet his from where they had drifted of to the side, looking just past his shoulder. 

He huffs out a small laugh and takes a step closer. One hand moves to touch Castiel's waist while he reaches up to cup his jaw with the other.

"I- I'm sorry I didn't say it then but you have to know, Cas." He pauses, his voice breaking. "You have to know that I love you, too."

Tears appear in Castiel's eyes. "I'm so sorry you thought that I didn't care. That I never showed you how much I do."

"But you." He laughs wetly, tears spilling down his own face. "You can have it. You can have everything. Anything. Just name it."

He caresses Castiel's cheek and feels the other man sigh. "Dean."

"Come here." He whispers before pulling him into a hug.

Dean buries his nose into the collar of Castiel's trench coat and can feel the other man do the same. "I love you so much."

"I love you." Castiel says, laughing wetly and squeezing his waist. The feeling of Castiel's breath against his neck gives Dean chills.

The pull back at the same time and Castiel reaches up to wipe a tear off his cheek. They smile softly at each other and Dean can't take it anymore.

He grips the front of Castiel's trench coat and pulls him back in and places a kiss on his lips. It's brief and chaste and his lips taste salty from both of their tears but if it isn't the best kiss Dean's ever had.

They pull back again and by the dazed look on Castiel's face it was just as good for him. They laugh at the same time, smiling wide goofy grins at each other, lost in their own world until Sam speaks.

"It's really good to see you, Cas."

Dean steps back, blushing a bit as Castiel stares at him for a moment longer before turning toward Sam. "It's good to see you too, Sam."

Just then Miracle comes trotting over from where he was sitting by the car to bump into Dean's legs again.

"Oh." Castiel's voice is full of suprise. "You have a dog?"

"Yeah. Isn't he cute?" He reaches down to scratch behind his ears. "Cas meet Miracle. Miracle this is Cas."

"Hello." Castiel says, holding a hand out for Miracle to sniff and just like Dean suspected Miracle becomes instantly smitten.

He starts wiggling so hard that he knocks into Castiel's legs too but he just laughs, reaching down to pet his head.

Jack clears his throat awkwardly after a minute and everyone's eyes snap up to his. "Well, I think it's time for me to go."

"Jack-" Castiel says taking a step closer to him. "You'll be okay?"

"I will, don't worry. This won't be the last time you see me."

Dean sees Castiel's eyes tear up again before he pulls Jack into a hug. "I'm so proud of you."

Jack squeezes back and when they separate they both have content smiles on their faces.

"Okay." Jack sighs, happily. "Goodbye."

He waves before turning around and walking down the street.

Dean steps up closer behind Castiel and places a hand on his back. They share a smile as Sam comes up to stand on the other side of Dean and the three of them watch Jack glow and disappear from sight.

"Well." Dean says, lightheartedly. "The hell do we do now?"

Just then, Sam's phone pings and both Dean and Castiel's heads turn to look at him.

Sam frowns, pulling it out and his face goes white before splitting into the biggest grin Dean's ever seen on his face. "It's Eileen. She- She's alive."

Dean laughs, turning to look at Castiel before moving his hand up to squeeze his shoulder as they grin at each other.

"She-" Sam laughs. "She doesn't seem to realize anything's happened. She's still talking about before."

He looks up at Dean, wide eyed. "We have to go. I have to see her, Dean."

"Of course, baby brother. Let's go get your girl."

-

"Dean, this bacon is delicious." Eileen's voice brings him back to the present.

Dean chuckles. "Of course it is. It's bacon."

She grins but Castiel shakes his head in disapproval beside him. "You're a great cook, Dean. Take the compliment."

He blushes, relenting as Castiel takes a bite of bacon as well. "Yes, sir."

Castiel lays a hand on his knee under the table, smirking and Dean grins before digging into his own food.

Ever since they defeated Chuck and him and Castiel started this thing, Dean's been trying to not be so hard on himself. To let himself have things and just live in the moment. Castiel has been really helpful in making him see that and Dean likes to think he's helped Castiel see it about himself too.

"So," Sam says, signing as well. Both Sam and Castiel are fluent in ASL but Dean's still learning so their conversations now a days tend to be a good mix of both. "Donna called. She said her and Jody wrapped up that Djinn case. Silver knife dipped in lamb's blood did the trick. She said the girl was fine. As fine as you can be, I guess."

"That's good." Dean says, taking a sip of coffee.

They've slowed down a lot over the last couple weeks. They still take a hunt every now and then but the majority of their time is spent helping out other hunters, being a base and a point of contact if or when anyone needs more information or assistance. 

Dean can't help but think to himself that they're the new Bobby. That they've turned into that mentor figure for the rest of the hunter community without even trying.

"Hey." He nudges Castiel's foot under the table and gets a pinch to the thigh in response. He grins. "You heard from Claire?"

"Yeah." Castiel nods. "She's hunting a vamp nest in Milwaukee. She said she'd stop in for a visit when she's done."

"Nothing new from Jack?" Sam asks. 

"Not since last week." Castiel says, smiling proudly. "I still can't believe he's rebuilt Heaven. What he's doing up there, it's beyond what I imagined he would do."

"Hey." Dean places a hand over Castiel's on his leg and the other man's eyes met his. "He came to you for advice. You helped him do that."

Castiel gives him a small smile, interlocking their fingers. "Thank you, Dean. I do hope I've helped influence him for the better."

"What are you talking about, sweetheart?" He huffs. "Of course you have."

"Yeah, Cas." Sam's voice pips in. "You totally have."

"Thank you both." Castiel says smiling bashfully between. "Still, I do worry."

"That's called being a father." Dean says off handedly, eyes focused back down on finishing his food again.

"Yes. I suppose so."

Dean looks back up at the softness of his tone to see Castiel's eyes on him again. There's a look that's so full of love and admiration there that Dean feels himself flushing. He squeezes his hand and nudges his foot again. "Finish your bacon. I want to take you into town today."

The rest of breakfast continues in content conversation. All of them talking about their plans for the day. 

Dean's heart is so full of joy, he feels like it could burst. Him and his brother are free from Chuck's clutches, they're both settled down with the loves of their lives and are finally living the life they've always wanted.

Dean truly understands now the joy of just living. Of just being. He's not afraid anymore.

Castiel was right when he said happiness can be found in just saying it. But as Dean feels Castiel caress his hand absentmindedly and looks over to see him laughing with Sam and Eileen, he knows the having it is pretty fantastic too.

**Author's Note:**

> this was heavily based on a dream i had right before the finale aired and yeah it turns out my subconscious is a better writer than andrew dabb
> 
> title is from belinda carlisle's song "heaven is a place on earth"


End file.
